Verbena plant named ‘Duplena’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Verbena  plant particularly distinguished by its lilac flowers, early flowering, and a spreading habit that is first semi-erect and later spreading.

Botanical classification: Verbena×hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘Duplena’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new distinct cultivar of Verbena,botanically known as Verbena×hybrida.

The new cultivar is propagated from cuttings resulting from the cross of‘X816-1’ and ‘X-816-2’. ‘X816-1’ is a violet flowering Verbena having aspreading habit. ‘X816-1’ is not commercially available and is not knownby any synonyms. ‘X816-2’ is a pink flowering Verbena having a spreadinghabit. ‘X816-2’ is not commercially available and is not known by anysynonyms. Neither ‘X816-1’ nor ‘X816-2’ has been patented.

As a result of this cross the present cultivar was created in 1998 inEnkhuizen, Netherlands and has been repeatedly asexually reproduced bycuttings in Enkhuizen, Netherlands and Sarrians, France over athree-year period. It has been found to retain its distinctivecharacteristics through successive propagations, and this noveltyappears to be firmly fixed.

This new Verbena plant is an annual in most climatical zones in the US,only in zones 9 and 10 it is a perennial plant.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

This new Verbena plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographicdrawing which shows blooms, buds and foliage of the plant in full color,the color shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of this new Verbena. The data which defines thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inEnkhuizen, Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 14 weeks oldplants, blossomed under natural light in a greenhouse and grown in a10.5 cm container.

Color readings were taken in the greenhouse under ambient light. Colorreferences are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London.

Differences between the new cultivar ‘Duplena,’ its parents and asimilar cultivar ‘Duplena’ ‘X816-1’ ‘X816-2’ ‘Temari lilac’ Flower colorLight lilac Violet Pink Deep lilac Earliness Early Very early Late LateInternode length Short Short Long Very long Plant size Medium CompactBig Big Seed set No No Much AbundantThe commercial name of the most resembling variety is ‘Temari lilac.’The patented name of this variety is ‘Sunmaricos’ and its U.S. PlantPat. No. is 14,292.

The plant

-   Classification — botanical: Verbena×hybrida-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—A seedling named ‘X816-1’ is one of our            seedlings from our Z-generation of plants bred in 1996.        -   Pollen parent.—A seedling named ‘X816-2’ is one of our            seedlings from our Z-generation of plants bred in 1996.-   Growth habit: Spreading-   Plant height: 14-20 cm-   Spreading area of plant: 35-65 cm-   Growth rate: Hanging and vigorous-   Strength: Resistant to hot and cold weather-   Branching character: Freely branching and lateral branching at every    node-   Blooming period: From April until November

The stem

-   Diameter: 2.5-3 mm-   Length: 8-12 cm-   Shape: Tetragonal-   Color: Deep green 137D-   Anthocyanin pigmentation: Present, color 180D-   Length of internode: 20-40 mm, depending on the light where the    plant is propagated-   Pubescence: Pubescence is present-   Length lateral branches: 17-28 cm

The foliage

-   Phyllotaxis: Opposite-   Shape of blade: Broadly ovate-   Texture:    -   -   Upper side.—Pubescent.        -   Lower side.—Pubescent.-   Venation: Pinnate-   Leaf margin: Simple incised-   Leaf base: Shortly attenuate-   Leaf apex: Acute-   Length: 25-40 mm-   Width: 18-30 mm-   Depth of incision: 2-4 mm-   Color:    -   -   Upper side.—Dark green 137C.        -   Lower side.—Light green 138A.-   Pubescence: Some pubescence is present-   Length of leaf stem: 5-12 mm-   Petiole surface structure: Slightly pubescent-   Petiole diameter: 2-3 mm-   Petiole coloration: 141C

The bud

-   Peduncle length: 30-60 mm, depending on season-   Peduncle diameter: 2-3 mm-   Peduncle color: 138A-   Size of the bud:    -   -   Length.—8-12 mm.        -   Diameter.—2 mm.-   Shape: Elongated and ovate-   Color: Medium green 137D-   Sepals:    -   -   Color (upper side).—Light green 138B.        -   Color (lower side).—138C.        -   Form.—Upright.        -   Number.—5, fused.        -   Length.—6-7 mm.        -   Width.—2 mm.        -   Shape.—Elongated.        -   Apex.—Apiculate.        -   Base.—Fused.        -   Margin.—Entire.

The flower

-   Facing direction: Upward-   Outward curvature of petal: Slightly curved-   Flower diameter: 18-24 mm-   Flower height: 16-18 mm-   Flower tube length: 14-16 mm-   Flower throat diameter: 2 mm-   Borne: In a cluster-   Form: Salverform; sessile on terminal spikes-   Petal color:    -   -   Upper side.—Lilac N81A.        -   Lower side.—Lilac N81C.-   Eye: A very small (1 mm) whitish Eye (155C) is present Typically    three out of the five petals exhibit this whitish coloration on the    upper side of them-   Overlapping of the petals: Separate-   Number of petals: Gamopetalous, five lobed-   Shape of the petals: Each petal is obcordate-   Petal apex: Emarginate-   Petal base: Fused-   Petal margin: Entire-   Petal surface texture: Smooth-   Size of the petal:    -   -   Length.—6-8 mm.        -   Width.—6-8 mm.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Length.—25-35 mm.        -   Diameter.—30-40 mm.-   Calyx length: 8-10 mm-   Calyx diameter: 2-3 mm-   Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb: Absent.-   Color of the calyx: Light green 138C (outside surface)-   No. of flowers per inflorescence: 20-25-   Fragrance: A very light rosy fragrance occurs-   Bloom time of one inflorescence: New florets continue to open over a    period of 14 days-   Lastingness of one flower: 2-5 days

The reproductive organs

-   Androecium:    -   -   Stamen quantity.—Four.        -   Anther shape.—Ovoid.        -   Anther length.—1 mm.        -   Anther color.—144D.        -   Amount of pollen.—Scarce pollen.        -   Pollen color.—145D.-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Pistil quantity.—1.        -   Stigma shape.—Bi-lobed.        -   Pistil length.—1.8-2.2 mm.        -   Stigma color.—144C.        -   Style length.—1.4-1.8 cm.        -   Style color.—144D.        -   Ovary color.—144C.

The seed

-   Seedset: No seedset has been observed

The roots

-   Type of roots: Fibrous. Roots starts to grown on every part of the    stem That contacts the soil, so not only at the nodes.-   Physiological and ecological characteristics: Good tolerance to heat    and cold. Strong resistance to pests and diseases, particularly    powdery mildew.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Duplena’, asillustrated and described.